The invention is generally directed to a fade-out circuit for a motion picture camera and more particularly to a fade-in and fade-out circuit for use in a motion picture camera having an automatic exposure control.
Motion picture cameras having automatic exposure control are well known in the art. The automatic exposure control of such cameras generally include a light sensitive device which controls the size of the objective lens diaphragm opening corresponding to the ambient light levels of the scenes to be recorded on the film. They operate so that the size of the diaphragm opening is inversely related to the intensity of the ambient light.
It has been found that in use of motion picture cameras, a motion picture can be disjointed to a viewer when the subject matter of the recorded scenes or activities changes significantly. It has been found that it is particularly advantageous to provide for fading-in and fading-out of scenes to improve the continuity of motion pictures. Early fade-in and fade-out arrangements included mechanical mechanisms for continuously opening and closing the objective lens diaphragm. Mechanical manipulation of these mechanisms was necessary and thus such mechanisms were cumbersome in use because both hands had to be utilized for operating the camera and for fade-in and fade-out control. The cumbersome use of such devices resulted in the cameras being jiggled during operation and thus rendered movies which were difficult to view because of jitter. Also, fade-in and fade-out of uniform durations and rates were impossible to achieve.
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a new and improved fade arrangement for a motion picture camera.
It is a more particular object source the present invention to provide a fade circuit for light source motion picture camera of the type which includes an automatic exposure control.
It is a still more particular object of the present invention to provide a fade circuit for a motion picture camera having an automatic exposure control which does not require changes in the automatic exposure control mechanism.
It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a fade circuit for a motion picture camera which is automatic requiring very little activation manipulation and which provides uniform fade-in and fade-out durations and rates.